The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-10
A 100000 DEBT OF HONOR.
Banker Williams, of Charleston, S. c.,
Returns a Northern Trust.

Banker Williams, of Charleston, S. c.,
Returns a Northern Trust.
Regarding the TRANSACTION between Mr..
George Williams, of Charleston, and Mr..
Daniel Hand, of Guilford, Conn, already
mentioned in dispatch to the MORNING
News, a New Haven special to the New
York World says: The very extraordinary
financial transaction by which nearly
100000 mad been restored to a man who
had no legal claim to it, was concluded by
ex-Judge Luzon B. Morris. The parties to
the transaction were Daniel Hand, a wealthy
citizen of Guilford, a slow village near this
place, and George Williams, of Charleston,
S. c., member of the banking firm of
Williams & Birney. The firm also have an
Office in New York city.
Mr. Hand and Mr.. Williams were in the
grocery business on large scale in Augusta,
Ga, before the war, or rather Mr. Hand
was in business and Mr.. Williams was his
bookkeeper, with a small interest in the
business. Mr.. Hand had real estate in the
South worth about 800, 900 and was one of
the wealthiest citizens in that section At
the outbreak of the war the grocery bust
ness was wound up and Mr.. Hand deter
mined not to risk the fortunes of war in the
South but to come to this State and settle.
Mr.. Williams determined to take his chances
in the South. Mr.. Hand was in a quandai'y
as to what to do with his real estate He
thought that the war would wreck
the value of his property, and he
knew that if he attempted to take
the deeds of the property North with him
and should be searched on the way the
deeds would be confiscated and turned over
to the Confederate government, which was
established at that time. In fact the South
ern officials were ON the alert in his case
and they suspected that he was going 10
take some property North with him that
would be valuable to the cause. He was
arrested and detained on suspicion, but he
found way out of his difficulties by going
before a Southern magistrate and swearing
that all his property belonged to his part
ner, Williams, and then he was allowed to
go his way.
Mr.. Hand turned the property over to
young Williams, with the private under
standing that Williams would return it to
him after peace had been restored, if he had
it and felt so disposed. No actual obliga-
tions were laid on Mr.. Williams shoulders.
His honor was all that Hand could depend
upon. The war went on apace, and as Mr..
Hand had partially foreseen, the property
was wrecked. Young Williams, in fact,
had lost it all, or nearly ALL i'm the year sue
ceeding the outbreak of the war. He after
wards prospered, got into the brokerage
business in Charleston and made money
rapidly
Meanwhile Daniel Hand had been living
here on his place IN Gullford His departure
from the South had by no means resulted in
the destruction of his entire fortune. With
what money he had left he made shrewd
Investments, and, like his young book
keeper, he made money. Some time ago he
endowed the Hand Academy in Madison,
which he built and he is also said TO have
given large sum of money TO the Yale
divinity school, in this city. Until about
six years ago he did nothing towards recov-
ering the property he had left in so peculiar
a manner with Mr.. Williams He regarded
IL as totally lost, and did not worry much
about it. Six years ago. however, he con-
suited with Judge Morris and explained to
him that he did not want Mr. Williams
pressed for the money, but il Mr. Williams
was willing 10 restore the value of the prop
erty Mr.. Hand would be glad to get it.
Judge Morris advised his client that he
had no legal rights in the case. The judge
ascertained Mr.. Williams address, and com
municated with him at once. Mr. Williams
wrote, acknowledged the obligation, and
promised TO pay not ouly the 500, 200, but
also the interest accrung since the time
when the property came into his possession
The tone of his letters indicated that he
was entirely willing'and perhaps anxious TO
do this, and he did not propose to allow any
legal bubble TO prevent him from redeem
ing his trust and indicating his honor The
amount was paid upon large installments,
and the total sum IS given ont as S6J0,00o OF
1nereabodts- g